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Vultee A-31 Vengeance
(Infobox details apply to the A-35B) |type=Dive Bomber |length=39 ft 9in (12.12 m) |wingspan=48 ft (14.63m) |wingarea= |height=15 ft 4in (4.67 m) |emptyweight=10,300 lb (4676 kg) |fullweight=16,400 lb (7445 kg) |engine=1 x 1,700 hp Wright Double Row Cyclone R-2600 radial piston engine |speed=279 mph (449kph) |range=1,200 miles (1931 km) |ceiling=22,300 ft (6800m) |armament= 6 x 0.303in (7.7mm) machine-guns in the wings and rear cockpit bomb load of 2000 lb (908 kg). Page 148 |crew=2 |passengers= |cargo= |role=Ground Attack (Later) Target Towing |year= |affiliation=United States of America, Great Britain, Australia }} The Vultee A-31 Vengeance was a dive bomber designed for the Armee de l'Air, which was seeking an equivalent to the dreaded Junkers Ju-87 Stuka. History Originally known as the Vultee V-72, the Vengeance was designed to make use of knowledge gained from dive bombing attacks carried out during the Spanish Civil War. An order for 700 examples, to be built by Vultee and Northrop, was placed by a British Purchasing mission in 1940. File 910 Sheet 6 (A-Z of Aircraft: V - Vought F7U Cutlass to Vultee V-72 (A-31/A-35 Vengeance)|group="N"}} After production began in Downey, California, most Vengeances were built at the maker's plant in Nashville, Tennessee. Like the Stuka, the Vengeance began as a twin tail design.Aircraft of the World Card Collection Group 11 Card 34 (American Aircraft of World War II - Vultee Vengeance) Following the introduction of Lend-Lease, the USAAF ordered another 300 aircraft for the UK as the A-31, which were designated either Vengeance Mk IA (Northrop) or Vengeance Mk III (Vultee) by the RAF. In light of the vulnerability of dive bombers demonstrated during the Battle of Britain, the RAF realised that the Vengeance was unsuitable for European service, resulting in the aircraft being diverted to Burma. Following America's entry into WW2 after the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, the USAAF commandeered 243 Vengeances in production for the UK, which entered US service as A-35s. These were followed by 99 Vultee built A-35As, with different armament and equipment, and 831 Wright R-2600-13 powered A-35Bs with increased armament. Brazil were supplied with 29 of the latter aircraft, with another 562 passed to the UK as the Vengeance Mk IV. A number were passed to the RAAF, while others were converted into target tugs as the Vengeance TT.Mk IV. Most of the US operated aircraft were also used as target tugs. In the Far East, four RAF, two Indian and five Australian squadrons operated the Vengeance resourcefully under difficult conditions, during the period from May 1942 to July 1944. The Indian-based squadrons saw action in Burma, while the Australians made perilous attacks on New Guinea and other islands until B-24 Liberators could take over the job at higher altitude. Variants Source:Vultee Vengeance page of WW2 Vehicles websitehttp://wwiivehicles.com/usa/aircraft/dive-bomber/vultee-vengeance.asp *'A-31': Initial production variant; later renamed A-35. *'A-35A': Machine guns replaced with .50 Browning M2s. *'A-35B': More powerful engine and improved bomb capacity. *'XA-31A': Used to test the Wright R-3350 engine for the B-29. *'XA-31B': Used to test the Wright R-3350 engine for the B-29. *'YA-31C': Used to test the Wright R-3350 engine for the B-29. *'TBV-1 Georgia': Version used by the US Navy. References Notes Sources Category:US Aircraft Category:Dive Bombers Category:Bombers Category:Aircraft Category:Vultee A-31 Vengeance